Tuesday July 28,2015

Read Jeremiah 46:13-28

 It saddens me when we see in so many movies Christians being presented as inept and incompetent bozos that can’t run or organise anything. It’s often left  to non-believers to sort out the mess that the Christians make. In all of the Sister Act movies, for example, it’s up to a worldly and street wise singer from LA to sort out the dying church and to bring growth and vitality.

Here in Jerusalem in Jeremiah’s day, God is using a worldly person to bring about His plans. God uses the non believer Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to bring judgement upon the world. But Nebuchadnezzar is not sorting out God’s people, he’s doing God’s will of bringing judgement and destruction!

In Jeremiah 27:5-6 God had already declared His will and His ability.

“With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. 6 Now I will hand all your countries over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.”

Interestingly, the people left behind after the exile chose to go disobediently to Egypt for safety and relief from the attacks and threats of the war. God shows them that even in Egypt they would not be safe.

When God judges the world we have to remember that His justice and judgements are always fair, deserved and totally right. God never judges unfairly.

The reason for God’s judgement is further revealed to us in Jeremiah 46:25-26.

“25 The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to bring punishment on Amon god of Thebes, on Pharaoh, on Egypt and her gods and her kings, and on those who rely on Pharaoh. 26 I will hand them over to those who seek their lives, to Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and his officers. Later, however, Egypt will be inhabited as in times past,” declares the LORD.”

God is judging Egypt for her idolatry, her unwillingness to worship the one true living God and her incessant desire to worship gods of wood and stone.

But notice that the word of judgement ends with hope for Egypt and for the people of God. Egypt will be inhabited again as in days gone by and God’s people, affectionately called Jacob in vs 27-28 need not be afraid.

This hope that glimmers ever so slightly in vs 27-28 is a major theme of the New Testament. You and I have a key role in playing out that hope. You’ll see how and why on Sonday.

Prayer:

Using today’s Bible passage and notes write down points for

Adoration:

Confession

Thanks

Supplication:

· Pray that God would allow you to take the message of grace and hope to the 3 other people you mentioned yesterday. Pray that God would open the door for effective communication with these people.

· Pray that the chaplains in Glenvale and Harristown Public Schools would be able to share their faith, speak of Jesus and make disciples in Jesus’ name. Pray that funding and all other needs would be met by the grace of God.

 Discussion Questions

1. What role do you think you and your church play in bringing hope to the nations?

2. If someone in your church quipped that they see no interest in other people, believers or groups beyond the four walls of your church, how would you respond?

3. Someone else adds that they were judged because they deserved it. What would you say in reply?